Prawn Pakora/ Prawn Fritters

Pakoras, also known as Bhajias, are a very popular fried snack in India. Ask any Indian, and this unbelievably addictive fritter is always associated with the cool monsoon weather. It is not very uncommon for Indians to sit down with a hot cup of tea in the verandah, enjoying the beautiful monsoon rains and munching into some crispy pakoras. Originally, a tea time snack, pakoras are nowadays served as an appetiser in an Indian food menu.

Pakoras are made with a batter of chickpea and rice flour, with vegetables, seafood or meat dipped into the batter and then deep fried. Here is a gourmet recipe for pakoras prepared with prawns and spring onions. Serve it plain, with some coriander-mint chutney or tomato ketchup.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 - 15 minutes to cook prawns and time to fry Pakoras

Ingredients
To marinate

• 1/2 kg Tiger Prawns, cleaned and de-veined, tail on 
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp chilly powder
• 1/2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste

For the batter

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 4 - 6 tbsp rice flour (this makes the pakoras crispy, adjust to the crispiness required)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp asafoetida
• 2 tsp chilly powder
• 1/2 cup of stock, reserved after cooking prawns
• 4 tbsp curry leaves, finely chopped
• 8 tbsp spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• salt to taste

Extra

• Oil to deep fry
• Coriander-mint chutney/ tomato ketchup to serve

Method
1. Marinate prawns with the ingredients under "To marinate" and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cook on medium heat without using water until prawns are just cooked. Take care not to cook prawns for too long.
Drain prawns from the stock and reserve stock. The stock should measure up to around 1/2 cup. If not add a little extra water.
2. Mix all the ingredients "For the batter" with the stock to make a thick batter. (Adjust the amount of stock used to prepare the batter depending on the amount of rice flour used. When prawns are mixed with the batter, some of the spring onions should also cling to the prawns along with the batter). Add cooked prawns and mix well.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Drop prawns, one at a time, with a thick batter into the hot oil. Fry till it is deep brown in colour and crisp.

Serve hot!